Santa Barbara’s Oldest Sister City Organization to Travel to Japan for 45th Anniversary Celebration

The tour will depart Nov. 6 and return Nov. 16, 2011.

In Japan we will tour the central mountains, visiting Takayama, a traditional town full of historical architecture and crafts, followed by Shirakawago, a World Heritage site of 250-year-old thatched buildings, where we’ll try our hands at Japanese paper-making. Travelling to the western coast, we’ll stay in Kanazawa, location of one of the top three Japanese gardens in Japan. We’ll proceed south along the coast, stopping to tour the Zen temple complex at Eiheiji, then the pottery town of Echizen where we’ll see a traditional potter at work, ending in Kyoto, where we’ll spend two days independently touring the ancient cultural capitol. Next we travel to Toba, where we will spend three great days with our friends, celebrating our Sistercityhood.

The tour price includes all airfare and ground transportation, all lodging, certain meals and admission costs to attractions. Currently the cost, at a minimum of 15 participants, will be just under $3,500 each. Deadline for joining the group is Mon., Sept. 5.

A reservation can be held by our receipt of your deposit of $500. Please contact Sally Hamilton for details at sallyshamilton@gmail.com, or phone: 962-1402.

We will be holding a series of information and orientation sessions prior to the trip to allow for maximum input from travelers. Do join us for this rare chance to tour Japan and celebrate a milestone with our friends in Toba!